Car Seat Cover Ups

I think these things have been around for a few years. I saw my first one over two years ago when I was visiting Utah. I had a friend that made them. But I noticed here in California no one had them. I think these car seat cover ups are wonderful. You know we all put the blankets over the top to keep baby asleep and its a pain to carry the seat. Now that solution is solved, plus keeps most people from touching that new baby with all the germs. So I found a pattern and made one for Melissa. Then I got requests from others to make them. The first pattern I bought was for personal use only, so I could only use it to make gifts. But, then I had some people ask me if I could make them one and they would pay me. So I found a pattern that let you sell what you made. Here is the first pattern here and then click here for the other pattern (the one you can sell what you made). I combined what I liked best about both for my own.
Here are some I have made the past couple of months as gifts.

Bow/Clip Holder

A girl in our ward makes these and gives them as baby shower gifts. Ever since the first time I saw one she made I have wanted to make one for my daughter Mckynlee. Our ward actually made them for a super Saturday, but I had already bought the supplies for mine. She just gets a long board from Lowe's or Home Depot and cuts it down, but since I just wanted to make one I just went to Michael's and bought an unfinished wood plaque. So here's what you need:
A unfinished wood plaque (Michael's or Joann's, or of course if you want a bunch buy a big board from the home improvement store and cut it down)
-Paint (one for the base color and then another color for the polka dots)
-Ribbon (mine was 7/8 inch wide)
-stable gun
-drill
-A vinyl letter of your choice (I got mine from my wonderful friend Kyra, she has her own vinyl lettering business, check out her website here.)
Take your plaque or piece of wood and drill two holes at the top. Sand and paint your base color (I did several coats so the imperfections in the wood wouldn't show). Then paint on the polka dots. The girl that makes these uses vinyl, she has a cricut machine and just has it cut her dots. I found these cool sponge brushes in different size circle shapes at Walmart and I used those. Just dip them in the paint and then press where you want your polka dots. After your paint is dry apply your vinyl letter in the center. With the ribbon I just guessed the size. I threaded it through the holes and tied it in a bow until I got it to hang the length I want. As for the bottom ribbon I just cut those the length I thought I needed. My friend just has one ribbon hanging down from hers but my daughter has so many clips and bows I did three. After I cut them I light a match and run the edges through the flame to seal it, or you could use fray check, just do it so your ribbon doesn't fray. Then I officially tie the top one in a bow and staple gun the 3 other ribbons evenly apart on the bottom backside of the plaque and then your done and can hang all your bows. (I think it would be fun to make an adult version for all those adult clips I have to put in my hair).

Tag Rag

This project is simple, yet time consuming (at least it was for me, a novice sewer). 

1. Pick out two fabrics (one soft) and cut them into large squares roughly the size of a large burp cloth. 

2. Cut different lengths of various ribbons, fold in half and sew, loops facing in, to the right side of one of the squares.

3. Now sew right sides together of both square so that when you turn in inside out, the ribbon loops are sticking out all sides.

4. Stitch around and edge and across the middle so that everything stays in place.

Happy Stacker

I saw this pattern on the Heather Bailey Store website and fell in love with it. I bought it to make for my daughter for Christmas but didn't get it done until recently. This is mine:

You don't have to do the ribbon embellishments, it does take more time, but I think it makes it cuter. You can easily use your scrap fabrics and have fun mixing and macthing them. You can get the pattern here or you can also get it at quilthome.com or even cheaper on Etsy.

Homemade baby Food

If you want to save some serious moo-lah, you have to give this a try. Is was surprisingly easy to do.

Step 1: Peel fruits if necessary, by blanching them in boiling water for one minute, then soaking them in ice water for one minute, the skins should peel right off with your hands.

Step 2: Steam your fruit/veggies

Step 3: Puree in a blender, you can add excess liquid from steaming to thin out a little.**For carrots just add plain water, the steamed liquid contains nitrates.

Step 4: Pour into ice cube trays and freeze

Step 5: Pop out cubes and put into freezer bags. Grab one or two at meal time, microwave until melted, add baby cereal if desired.

Some foods I have have luck with: pears, plums, peaches, carrots, apricots.

Great Non-cooked baby foods:
-Mashed banana
-Mashed avocado
-Large jars of unsweetened all natural applesauce

This has saved me so much money considering a jar of baby food costs about 60 cents and I make a 45 cube batch with about $2 of baby carrots. Seriously worth it... and your baby is getting fresh, non-tampered baby made with love!

Jo Doll Pattern

I saw one of these that a friend made for her daughter and I really wanted to make one for mine. So I went here to the bitofwhimsy store on etsy and bought the pattern. The pattern is only $9 and she just emails you a pdf file. The nice thing is that they don't take much fabric and you can use your extra scraps you have laying around. I made my daughters and liked it so much I decided to make some for my nieces. If you check out her shop she has a lot of different cute patterns for other dolls too and other stuffed animals.

Carseat Blankets

One of our friends bought a pattern for a carseat blanket. So a few of us that had babies got together and made carseat blankets. The picture above is my daughter in hers. Once we figured out the pattern they were super easy. I love mine and use it all the time, especially with the weather getting cooler. Click here if you are interested in getting the pattern.

This week I made one for my friend for her baby shower. My daughter is modeling it above. She is having a little boy so I made her a boyish one, which was a bit easier because I didn't have to do a ruffle, I just edge-stitched the outside edge. My other friends that have boys also just cut the edges so it could have the frayed edge look. The second time around I made the belt/buckle openings a little smaller, I thought mine were too big. Anyways, I love mine and I think they make great baby gifts!